The Thought Police – Part 2

Last month I wrote about the case of Michael Monyelle, a convicted sex offender who authorities were trying to have committed indefinitely under Wisconsin’s Chapter 980 sexual predator laws. The offense that led to the action to commit Mr. Monyelle indefinitely? He had thoughts and fantasies about children, as opposed to actually taking actions against them. Just last week, a jury in Waukesha County branded Mr. Monyelle a sexual predator, meaning he now faces indefinite secure commitment for treatment.

Gretchen Schuldt over at Milwaukee Rising thinks it’s a slippery slope, arguing, “the ability to lock people up for thinking bad thoughts when they have done nothing criminal — anybody can be pushed through it. That is a far larger danger than Michae Monyelle has proven thus far to be.” While I’m inclined to agree with Gretchen on many levels, I think it’s important to remember Michael Monyelle isn’t a man who’s never committed any crimes; he’s a twice convicted child sex offender who’s now admitted – while still on parole – that’s he’s having thoughts and fantasies about children.

Now at the risk of losing my Liberal Club membership card, I think prosecutors were absolutely justified in seeking a Chapter 980 commitment against Michael Monyelle. He’s proven twice that he’s capable of committing sex crimes against children, and for him to admit to his parole agent that he’s having fantasies about children – thoughts that included sexual imaginings about children he saw on television and thoughts about abducting and sexually assaulting children he encountered in public. This is a dangerous guy, and if he’s having thoughts like those, it’s obvious sex offender treatment in the community isn’t working. I absolutely think authorities did the right thing – in this situation.

Obviously I don’t believe this kind of action should be taken against anyone who has illegal or improper thoughts – which is what I believe most folks are worried will start to happen – but in the case of sex offenders who have a record of committing sex crimes, serious thought needs to be given to protecting the community.